H&M Nails New Camel for Spring

In the wake of the beige (sorry, neutral) phenomenon of Autumn/Winter 2010, my wardrobe resembled a Farrow & Ball colour chart. I could have carpeted a desert with clothes in tones of twine, mocha, nude, string, biscuit and sand; however, I had no clue how to work them into my Spring/Summer wardrobe. 

But just as I was beginning to rue the day Phoebe Philo ever picked up a pen, I noticed that some designers have revamped their camel for spring, taking inspiration, ironically, from watery hues. Peter Pilotto chose a rich Wedgewood blue to update the pale shortbread shades we saw last season, while at Fendi and Diane von Furstenburg, zingy aqua highlights were combined with stronger tones of corn and chocolate. Neutral knitwear, as seen at 3.1 Phillip Lim, suddenly felt fresh when combined with bluebell leather and chiffon in shades of sky. 

But all this blue was giving me the blues. I was so certain that these delicate tones weren't going to trickle down onto the high street, given how the trends for brights, prints and jaw-dropping neon have been so prolific, and that I would be left with a dusty heap of clothes in shades of dust. That was until a multicoloured, multi-fabric, multitasking cardigan winged its way to the fashion cupboard at The Sunday Times Style magazine. 

 

True to its quick-fix fashion ethos, H&M solved the camel conundrum by whipping up a wearable basic that takes inspiration from the ready-to-wear collections. A staple cardigan in a bold peanut shade, this knitwear gem has a completely sheer back in a colour reminiscent of aqua sherbet flying saucers. With its long, straight sleeves, boxy cut and square pockets, the front of the cardigan is far from feminine. But do a twirl and voilà. Ladylike charm abounds. The drop-pocket detail heightens the modern, serious design feel while the candy floss shade at the rear keeps the garment firmly within the spring colour palette. I particularly love the black buttons, which add another unexpected element to the design. While H&M's color combo was spot-on, most brands seem to have avoided combining neutral shades with black for fear of seeming monochrome and boring. Clearly, they haven't considered throwing in a whoosh of aqua to mix things up. 


It seems that H&M has managed to create both an on-trend piece and a wardrobe classic all in one skimpy little cardigan. And it only retails for £24.99. So, as a clothes magpie, surely it's difficult to criticise the fast fashion producers? My jury is still out. 

--Charlie Byrne